AP Top 25 poll shakeup: Did Clemson, Notre Dame drop out after losses?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Clemson likely drops in AP poll after 24-21 loss to unranked Georgia Tech.
- Notre Dame playoff odds fell to 5.9% after narrow loss to Texas A&M.
- Oregon and Miami maintained dominance with strong wins and 3-0 records
Week 3 of college football saw more offense than defense, and few teams in the AP Top 25 lost. Those that did were facing fellow ranked teams, or undefeated teams.
Georgia Tech (3-0) made a strong argument to be ranked after beating Clemson (1-2), 24-21, at home and snapping the Tigers’ nine-game series winning streak. The Yellow Jackets were rewarded with a spot at No. 18.
Georgia Tech led by as many as 13 points in the first half, before Clemson scored three touchdowns after the break. Aidan Birr went 3 of 3 on field goal attempts, including the game-winning 55-yard kick, while quarterback Haynes King threw for 216 yards and ran for 103. Georgia Tech is now 7-1 against ranked ACC teams under head coach Brent Key, and has two wins over Power Four programs.
Voters dropped Clemson from the poll, after its less-than-dominant performance, its offense lacking the “it” factor. The Tigers received just six votes.
Texas A&M (3-0) deservedly jumped from No. 16 to No. 10 after its 41-40 victory over then-No. 8 Notre Dame (0-2) in South Bend. The Aggies’ defense has plenty of work to do, but their offense has scored 40-plus in all three games.
According to ESPN, the Irish’s chance of making the College Football Playoff dropped to 5.9% after the loss. It started the season with a 45% chance.
Notre Dame remained ranked at No. 24, dropping 16 spots, despite being one of three winless Power Four teams. The fact that the Irish’s two losses have been by fewer than five points to other ranked programs likely factored in that decision.
Tennessee (2-1) and Georgia (3-0) went head to head in a mid-afternoon matchup in Knoxville. The Bulldogs came out victorious in a 44-41 overtime win, extending their winning streak over the Volunteers to nine games. Georgia moved up one spot to No. 5, but Tennessee did not receive any props from the voters for its effort and stayed at No. 15.
The Vols, tied with the Bulldogs at 38, had a chance to win in regulation with three seconds remaining. Max Gilbert, however, missed a 43-yard field goal attempt. He made a 42-yarder in overtime, but the Tennessee defense couldn’t stop Georgia from finding the end zone, despite forcing the Bulldogs to settle for field goals on several other possessions.
In the other top five games, the results were as anticipated.
Ohio State (3-0) and Penn State (3-0) both got out to somewhat slow starts but turned things around to beat Ohio and Villanova, respectively. The Nittany Lions picked up a 52-6 victory, while the Buckeyes beat the Bobcats, 37-9. Ohio State stayed at No. 1 due to its season-opening win over Texas, and Penn State remained at No. 2.
Neither team’s offense looked particularly great, but No. 3 LSU (3-0) defeated Florida (1-2) at home, 20-10, after turnovers plagued the Gators. Florida quarterback DJ Lagway threw five interceptions in the game, including four on third down, and the team finished with seven penalties for a loss of 57 yards. The Tigers stayed ranked at No. 3, while Florida showed why voters removed them last week from the Top 25 and did not receive any votes this week.
Oregon (3-0) defeated Northwestern (1-2), 34-14, on the road. The statistics, which account for their two Power Four wins, would’ve given justification to move them up, but the voters decided to drop Oregon two spots to No. 6.
Miami (3-0) flexed its muscles once again to defeat South Florida (2-1), 49-12, at home. The Bulls broke into the rankings last week after their upset win over Florida. The Hurricanes looked like an ACC title contender and College Football Playoff team and moved up one spot to No. 4. The Bulls dropped out, but still received 83 votes.
Then-No. 11 South Carolina (2-1) lost to Vanderbilt (3-0), 31-7, and was one of the teams voters dropped completely — just like they did to Arizona State. The Gamecocks struggled to finish plays and turned the ball over four times. Additionally, South Carolina lost QB LaNorris Sellers due to a concussion, and did not look cohesive.
The Commodores were rewarded with a spot at No. 20. In addition to its win against the Gamecocks, Vandy beat Virginia Tech by 24 on the road last week.
Finally, Florida State (2-0) had an early bye week and did not play but still moved up to No. 7.
Southern Cal (3-0) eked its way into the Top 25 with the final spot.
BYU, South Florida, South Carolina and Mississippi State received votes. Tulaane received 33 votes after beating Duke.
Arizona and Houston did not garner any recognition, despite being 3-0 with a Power Four win on its resume.
Three ACC teams were ranked, while Louisville (25), Clemson (6), SMU (4) and N.C. State (4) received votes.
Week 4 AP Top 25
This story was originally published September 14, 2025 at 10:38 AM.
